Chapter 22 Section 4 Tumultuous: characterized by unrest or disorder The Tet Offensive Turns the War Early in 1968, North Vietnam and the Vietcong launch a surprise attack. January 30 was the Vietnamese equivalent of New Year’s the beginning of the lunar new year festivities known in Vietnam as Tet. That night the Vietcong launched an overwhelming attack on over 100 towns and cities in South Vietnam, as well as 12 U.S. air bases. They even attacked the U.S. embassy in Saigon, killing five Americans. The Tet offensive continued for about a month before U.S. and South Vietnamese forces regained control of the cities. The Vietcong lost about 32,000 soldiers during the month long battle, while the American and ARVN forces lost little more than 3,000

Chapter 22 Section 4 The media and the public’s view of the war sours. The Tet offensive greatly shook the American public, which had been told repeatedly and had come to believe that the enemy was close to defeat. The Johnson administration’s credibility gap suddenly widened to a point from which it would never recover.

Chapter 22 Section 4 In a matter of weeks, the Tet offensive changed millions of minds about the war. Despite the years of antiwar protest, a poll taken just before Tet showed that only 28 percent of Americans called themselves doves (Anti War) while 56 percent claimed to be hawks (Pro War). After Tet, both sides tallied 40 percent. The mainstream media, which had reported the war in a skeptical but generally balanced way, now openly criticized the war. By February, Johnson’s popularity has plummeted. In public opinion polls taken at the end of February 1968, nearly 60 percent of Americans disapproved of his handling of the war.

Chapter 22 Section 4 In March President Johnson announces a dramatic change in Vietnam policy and bows out of presidential race. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy are assassinated. On June 4, Kennedy won the crucial California primary. Just after midnight of June 5, Kennedy gave a victory speech at a Los Angeles hotel. On his way out he passed through the hotel’s kitchen, where a young Palestinian immigrant, Sirhan Sirhan, was hiding with a gun. Sirhan, who later said he was angered by Kennedy’s support of Israel, fatally shot the senator. Meanwhile, Campus protests surge around the nation. During the first six months of 1968, almost 40,000 students on more than 100 campuses took part in more than 200 major demonstrations.

Chapter 22 Section 4 A Turbulent Race for President Protests spark rioting during the Democratic National Convention. The convention, which featured a bloody riot between protesters and police, fractured the Democratic Party and thus helped a nearly forgotten Republican win the White House, Richard Nixon.

Chapter 22 Section 4 Delegates bitterly debate an antiwar plank to platform. Vice President Hubert Humphrey wins the nomination. Republican Richard Nixon wins the election over Humphrey (Democrat) and George Wallace (Third Party Candidate) Wallace was a democrat running on an independent ticket. Nixon eventually would end America’s involvement in Vietnam, but not before his war policies created even more protest and uproar within the country.

Chapter 22 Section 4 Quiz 1.) When was the Tet offensive? a. January 30, 1965 b. January 30, 1968 c. January 1, 1968 2.) How did the Tet offensive get its name? a. Tet stands for battle in the Vietnamese language b. Tet stands for Communism in the Vietnamese language c. Tet stands for the beginning of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam 3.) How many South Vietnamese cities were attacked during the Tet offensive? a. Over 100 b. Over 200 c. Over 300 4.) What was the capital of South Vietnam? a. Saigon b. Seoul c. Hanoi 5.) How long did the Tet offensive last? a.) About a month b.) About a week c.) About a year 6.) How many U.S. Air bases were attacked during the Tet offensive? a. 2 b. 12 c. 22 7.) What happened to American’s view of the war? a. Americans now wanted to end the war b. Americans were upset and wanted to defeat the Vietcong more than before c. Americans wanted to increase the amount of troops in Vietnam 8.) What happened to Johnson’s popularity as a result of the Tet offensive? a. People disapproved of the way he was handling the war b. People approved of the way he was handling the war c. The media mostly defended Johnson 9.) What was a dove in the Vietnam war? a. A person who was Anti War b. A person who was Pro War c. A person who neutral on the War 10.) What was a hawk in the Vietnam War?

Chapter 22 Section 4 Quiz con’t. 11.) Name one thing that happened in the presidential campaign of 1968? a. President Johnson won the Democratic nomination b. President Johnson pulled out of the Presidential election c. Richard Nixon won the Democratic nomination 12.) What shot Robert Kennedy? a. Jack Ruby b. Medgar Evars c. Sirhan Sirhan 13.) What reason did Robert Kennedy’s assassin give for killing him? a. He was upset about Kennedy supporting Israel b. He was upset about Kennedy supporting South Vietnam c. He was upset about Kennedy supporting the Viet Cong 14.) Who else was assassinated in 1968? a. John F. Kennedy b. Malcolm X c. Martin Luther King Jr. 15.) Who won the 1968 presidential election? a. Hubert Humphrey b. Richard Nixon c. Lyndon Johnson